The short person has started his first full-time preschool. This comes with all types of adjustments for both mommy and son. He only went twice a week last school year and stayed with family the other days. The previous school was more like a daycare than an actual school.While at the daycare, I felt like King was safe and loved on. We wrote large checks for this type of reassurance.

The educator in me recognized the short person was delayed in certain milestones and I also learned that I may not have the skill set to teach a preschooler. I often grew frustrated with myself and with King when we tried to work on skills together. I realized it was time to send King to school. I researched curriculum like I was studying for my Ph.D. Since our neighborhood Montessori school didn’t align with me and my husband’s work schedules; in second place was a private Christian school using the Bob Jones curriculum. I know my son will learn a lot, just look at this supply list:

If I have to buy all this, why am I paying tuition?

My son is a kinesthetic learner, like most boys his age and he is unfamiliar with a formal school setting. I wrote a letter to his teachers informing them of this. To prepare King for this transition, the week prior to starting school I dropped him off for a few visits. He got right in to the swing of things and made friends easily. So did I. I befriended the teacher whose vibe indicated she would love on my son more than the others. My antennas were up for the nurturer. Once I found her, I glued myself to her.

On King’s first day at school they took a field trip to Chuck-e- Cheese. It was going to be his first time riding a school bus. I had a panic attack. He did ok and I lingered until the nurturer calmed my nerves by giving me her cell number. She texted me the entire day which provided some ease. King cried and so did I but we never did it in front of each other.

The second day King cried a little and I had a lip quiver. Nap time was especially rough for him. The nurturer didn’t answer my texts so I called the school. They told me he only slept for an hour and laid quietly for the rest of nap time. After nap time he was ready to go home and I was rushed to pick him up. Husbanator suggested I wait a little longer to help his adjustment process. You can guess my response to that.

The chill from my ice grill felt cold on the nurturer’s face and she started apologizing for not getting back to me. You know if she hadn’t; I was going to takes days off from work until I found another school. Do not play with this momma bear! We talked and she melted the ice as she explained her busy day. I suggested King bring his blanket to school for nap time, she thought that was a good idea.

The third day King asked me “do I have to go to school again?”

I wanted to say ” Hell no! Forget this! We’re not going to school or work today; where do you want to go?”

Instead, I took my adulting role seriously and said, “mommy has to go to work 5 days a week & King has to go to school 5 days a week. We do what we have to do.”

I kissed him and continued picking his hair.

He slept for two hours that day, ate the food the school provided instead of my packed lunch and didn’t cry at all. I didn’t text or call but Yeye (grandma) did. I know that’s cheating. He had an accident during his nap but that didn’t affect his mood. I didn’t cry that day either.

The fourth day I didn’t cry or call. King didn’t cry and slept for the entire nap time. He still wasn’t feeling the food and neither am I. Nothing is perfect and this is the main reason his preschool is a solid B and not an excellent A.

They feed the children beef and pork and won’t allow me to give the kitchen turkey substitutions so that King won’t feel different from the other kids. There is also lots of sugar given, cupcakes and cookies. Sigh. I can substitute his milk t because I have a doctor’s note for that. So I have to watch the school menu carefully and pack him lunches on the days they serve sh!t he doesn’t eat; but it better not be peanut butter. Oy vey! He still asks me to pack him lunches every day. I told him some days he can eat school lunches. He said, “I know mommy but I like your food better.”

He looks like a big boy but he is still my baby!

I’m still a sucker for his thumb-sucking sweetness. So I pack a lunch no matter the menu. I may stop eventually but in the meantime….don’t judge my life. We survived our first week of preschool, no teachers were injured in the process and no one ended up on the news.